Buying a New Construction Home in Snohomish or King County: What Washington Law Covers (2026)

Short answer: Buying a newly built home in Snohomish or King County is mostly a contract question. The builder usually writes the purchase agreement, so read it closely, ask for your own inspection, and keep copies of everything the builder gives you. If something goes wrong later, Washington law makes you send the builder a written notice of claim at least 45 days before you sue, and the builder gets a chance to inspect and offer a fix. New condos come with extra rights, including a short window to cancel after you get the public offering statement.

This is general information, not legal advice. Builder contracts and warranties vary, and Washington’s construction defect rules have deadlines that matter, so have a Washington real estate attorney review a builder’s contract or any defect claim.

Start with the builder’s contract

With a resale house, both sides usually use standard forms. With new construction, the builder often has its own purchase agreement and addenda. Before you sign, look for:

• Inspection rights. Can you bring your own inspector, and when? Our guide to what a standard home inspection covers explains what an inspection does and doesn’t cover.
• Contingencies. Whether the contract lets you back out for financing, appraisal or the sale of your current home. See our guide to contingencies, and to buying first or selling first if you’re selling too.
• Earnest money terms. How much, who holds it, and when it becomes nonrefundable. Our guide to earnest money covers the basics.
• Warranty and maintenance documents. Ask for the builder’s written warranty and any maintenance schedule before closing, not after.
• Completion and delay language. What happens if the house isn’t finished by the closing date.

Before you commit, check the builder on the Department of Labor and Industries’ contractor lookup. Under RCW 18.27.020, contractors have to be registered, and under RCW 18.27.040 they have to carry a bond of $30,000 for a general contractor or $15,000 for a specialty contractor. L&I’s lookup also shows workers’ comp status and any lawsuits against the contractor’s bond.

Disclosures you should get

Washington’s seller disclosure law, RCW 64.06, lists the sales it doesn’t cover in RCW 64.06.010, and new homes aren’t on that list. So a builder selling you a house should give you a seller disclosure statement (Form 17) unless you waive it. For new construction that has never been occupied, the form itself says the seller doesn’t have to answer Item 4 (Structural) or Item 5 (Systems and Fixtures). Item 7, Environmental, still applies, and you can’t waive the Environmental section if any of its answers would be yes. RCW 64.06.020 currently has two versions on the Legislature’s site: one marked effective until January 1, 2027, and one effective January 1, 2027. The questions quoted here appear in both. If your sale runs across the new year, check which form is being used.

The builder also has to give you a notice about Washington’s construction defect law. RCW 64.50.050 says the builder must give this notice, in a form set out in the statute, at the time you contract. It starts with: "CHAPTER 64.50 RCW CONTAINS IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST FOLLOW BEFORE YOU MAY FILE A LAWSUIT FOR DEFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION AGAINST THE SELLER OR BUILDER OF YOUR HOME." The same section says that if the builder skips the notice, that doesn’t stop you from bringing a claim. Keep a copy with your closing papers.

Your preliminary title commitment is worth a careful look too. On a new house, ask whether every contractor and supplier has been paid. Under RCW 60.04.031, a supplier on new construction of a single home can send a notice of a right to claim a lien that reaches back ten days. Title and escrow deal with recorded liens before closing.

If something goes wrong after closing

Washington’s construction defect law, RCW 64.50, applies to claims against builders, contractors and other construction professionals for defects in a residence. It covers buyers who bought from the original owner too: the definition of "homeowner" in RCW 64.50.010 includes a later purchaser. Before you can sue, RCW 64.50.020 sets out these steps.

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Based on: RCW 64.50.020, RCW 64.50.010 and RCW 4.16.310. Chapter 64.50 is marked "effective until January 1, 2028" on the Legislature’s site.

Time limits matter. RCW 4.16.310 says a claim has to accrue within six years after substantial completion of construction, and the 64.50 notice period plus 60 days isn’t counted against that time. RCW 4.16.326 lists defenses a builder can raise, including a homeowner’s failure to follow a reasonable written maintenance schedule the builder provided. Keep that schedule and keep records of the maintenance you do.

New condos: more rules

A newly built condo under the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (RCW 64.90) comes with its own set of rights.

Based on: RCW 64.06.010, RCW 64.06.020, RCW 64.90.605, RCW 64.90.635, RCW 64.90.670, RCW 64.90.675, RCW 64.90.680, RCW 64.50.010 and RCW 4.16.310.

Under RCW 64.90.635, if you get the statement less than seven days before closing, you can push the closing out to no more than seven days after you first received it. A cancellation under that section is without penalty, and your deposits have to be refunded promptly. The cancellation notice goes by hand delivery or U.S. mail, as the statute describes.

Property taxes on a new house

New construction gets added to the tax rolls on its own schedule. Under RCW 36.21.080, the assessor values new construction as of July 31 and can add it to the rolls up to August 31. Washington’s Department of Revenue says new construction is valued as of July 31 "regardless of its percentage of completion," and work done after that date is added the next year. That’s why some buyers get a second value notice after moving in.

Snohomish County says owners of new construction may get a notice in the fall, and the July 31 value is used for taxes collected the following year. You can call the county’s Residential Appraisal line at 425-388-6555 with questions. Under RCW 36.21.080, you have 30 days from the mailing of a new-construction notice to appeal to the Board of Equalization, or up to 60 days where the county has adopted a longer period. In King County, see our guide to how King County property taxes work.

FAQ

Do I need my own agent when I buy a new construction home?

You don’t have to have one, but the builder’s sales staff work for the builder. Your own agent can review the builder’s purchase contract with you, flag the deadlines and contingencies it does or doesn’t include, and keep track of the inspection and walk-through dates. For contract terms you don’t understand, a Washington real estate attorney is the right call.

Should I get an inspection on a brand-new house?

Many buyers do, and it’s worth asking for one in the contract. A new house can still have missed items, and Washington’s defect process under RCW 64.50.020 works best when you’ve written down problems early. Some buyers also schedule a second inspection before the builder’s warranty period ends.

Does a builder have to give me a seller disclosure statement on a new house?

Washington’s seller disclosure law has no general exemption for new homes, so expect a Form 17 unless you waive it. For new construction that has never been occupied, the form says the seller doesn’t have to complete the Structural and Systems and Fixtures sections. The Environmental section still applies.

How long do I have to bring a construction defect claim in Washington?

It depends on the claim. RCW 4.16.310 sets a six-year limit that runs from substantial completion of construction, and a notice filed under RCW 64.50.020 pauses that clock for the notice period plus 60 days. Claims under a new condo’s implied warranties have a four-year limit under RCW 64.90.680. Talk to an attorney as soon as you see a problem.

Why did I get a new property value notice after I moved in?

Under RCW 36.21.080, new construction is valued as of July 31 and added to the tax rolls by August 31, and Washington’s Department of Revenue says that happens regardless of how complete the house is. Snohomish County says those new-construction notices go out in the fall for taxes collected the following year. You can appeal a value you think is wrong.

Talk it through with a local agent

Peter Kim and Odigo Real Estate Club can help you compare new construction with resale homes, read the builder’s contract with you, and keep the inspection and walk-through dates on track, with 25+ years combined experience, 593+ closings, and 122 five-star Zillow reviews. See our home buying services.

Odigo Real Estate Club · REAL Brokerage, WA #112064 · 16108 Ash Way, Suite 201, Lynnwood, WA 98087 · (425) 409-3823 · Mon–Sat 9 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday

Sources

• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.50.020 (notice of claim at least 45 days before suit; meeting, response, inspection and offer deadlines), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.50.020 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.50.050 (builder’s notice to the homeowner at the time of contract; form; missing notice doesn’t bar an action; effective until Jan 1, 2028), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.50.050 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.50.010 (definitions; homeowner includes a subsequent purchaser), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.50.010 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 4.16.310 (six years after substantial completion; tolled during the RCW 64.50.020 period plus sixty days), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.16.310 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 4.16.326 (builder defenses, including a homeowner’s failure to follow a written maintenance schedule), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.16.326 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.06.010 (sales the seller disclosure chapter doesn’t apply to), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.06.010 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.06.020 (seller disclosure statement form; version effective until Jan 1, 2027 and version effective Jan 1, 2027), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.06.020 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.605 (public offering statement required), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.605 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.635 (purchaser’s right to cancel within seven days; extending closing), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.635 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.670 (implied warranties of quality for condominium units), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.670 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.675 (exclusion or modification of implied warranties), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.675 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.680 (four years to bring a warranty claim; when it accrues), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.680 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 18.27.020 (contractor registration required), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.020 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 18.27.040 (contractor bond: $30,000 general, $15,000 specialty), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.040 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Verify a contractor, tradesperson or business (registration, workers’ comp account, lawsuits against the bond), https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/hiring-a-contractor/verify-contractor-tradesperson-business , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 60.04.031 (notice of right to claim a lien; ten days for new construction of a single residence), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=60.04.031 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 36.21.080 (new construction valued as of July 31, added to the rolls up to Aug 31; 30 or up to 60 days to appeal), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.21.080 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Department of Revenue, Adding new value to assessment rolls (special notice) (assessed as of July 31 regardless of percentage of completion), https://dor.wa.gov/forms-publications/publications-subject/special-notices/adding-new-value-assessment-rolls-update , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Snohomish County Assessor, 2026 Assessed Values Notices in the Mail (news release) (new-construction notices in the fall; July 31 assessment date; Residential Appraisal 425-388-6555), https://snohomishcountywa.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/3220 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.

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